Management Board of Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark conducts on-site interpretation skill practice for its partners and local people

The on-site training program aimed to enhance interpretation skills, promote the value of cultural heritage and traditional crafts, thereby contributing to sustainable tourism development while preserving heritage and improving local livelihood. Participants included representatives from local authorities, front-line staff from Geopark partners' establishments, and local residents providing tourism services.

Attending the program, participants conducted field visits and practiced interpretation, guiding, reception, and problem-solving skills at heritage sites along the eastern experience route of Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark in Quang Hoa and Trung Khanh districts. These sites included Ma Phuc Pass, Mountain Angel Eye, Phja Thap incense-making village, Dia Tren paper production village, Pac Rang forging village, Lung Ri tile-making village, and Khuoi Ky stone village. The interpretation content focused on the historical, cultural, and geological values of each heritage site. By conveying knowledge in an engaging and accessible manner, the participants helped listeners gain deeper insights into the geological formation, historical imprints, and cultural identity of each site.

Notably, at the traditional craft villages, local residents and front-line staff from Geopark partner establishments directly practiced introducing the production processes of traditional craft products such as Dia Tren traditional paper, Phja Thap incense, and blacksmithing products. Each production step was introduced lively and vividly, helping visitors gain a deeper understanding of the value behind each item. In addition, participants also practiced introducing tourist services linked to local cultural experiences, such as traditional cuisine, folk art performances, trekking to explore natural landscapes, and community-based homestay experiences. During the on-site practice, participants demonstrated their proactiveness and actively shared experiences and inputs to improve the content and ways of interpretation, making them more engaging, coherent, and professional. Local residents and staff from Geopark partner establishments discussed the ways to effectively convey information tailored to different visitor groups, handle emerging situations during receiving visitors, and how to incorporate local stories to enhance the appeal and insights of the interpretation. These efforts helped partipants gain a deeper understanding of local culture, thereby increasing the value of local tourism products and contributing to the promotion of sustainable tourism development.

This on-site training is part of a series of training and capacity-building activities for partners and local communities, aiming to gradually professionalize tourism services within the Geopark territory. Through the program, local residents and tourism service providers had the opportunity to widen their knowledge, gain in-depth information about heritage sites, and engage in hands-on experiences. They also shared practical experiences and practiced guiding skills as well as problem-solving skills while receiving visitors or interpreting a specific sites to them.

Focusing on improving interpretation skills and the quality of welcoming visitors at heritage sites is a key factor in preserving and promoting heritage values while enhancing the quality of tourism services. This serves as a foundation for developing a sustainable community-based tourism model that reflects strong local identity, thereby gradually transferring Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark into an attractive and welcoming destination for both domestic and international visitors.